Students differ in their aptitudes and abilities, and so do their ways of learning. Some students learn better by conceptualising while others may learn more effectively through application and practice. Applied Learning is introduced in this context as part of the Hong Kong senior secondary curriculum since 2009, in which students could choose a variety of Applied Learning courses under six areas of studies: Creative Studies, Media and Communication, Business, Management and Law, Services, Applied Science, and Engineering and Production which are closely linked to broad professional and vocational fields.
With equal emphasis on the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes, Applied Learning aims at enabling students to understand fundamental theories and concepts through application and practice, and to develop their generic skills in authentic context. As the concepts of Applied Learning are being accepted by schools, students and parents, the number of schools and students participating in Applied Learning has been on the rise since its pilot first launched in 2003.
To inform planning and implementation of Applied Learning, a pilot research study was conducted in secondary schools to collect data through questionnaire survey and interview. The focus is to examine the impact of the curriculum on students' whole-person development, and their aspirations for further studies and future careers. In the presentation, we would like to share with the international community of education our ideas, challenges and achievement in developing and implementing this new applied learning curriculum in the Hong Kong context. We will focus on the guiding principles of design, models of implementation and the evaluation study.